Hybrid motor vehicles utilize a propulsion system which incorporates both an internal combustion engine and an electrical system which is used typically for propulsion and regenerative braking. The electrical system includes at least one electrical motor mechanically connected to one or more axles of the motor vehicle and a battery pack of cells which is an integrated component of an energy storage system (ESS) that is electrically connected to the at least one motor. When the at least one motor propels the motor vehicle, electrical energy is extracted from the ESS (the battery pack discharges). During regenerative braking the motor acts as a generator, and the electrical energy generated is delivered to the ESS (the battery pack charges).
FIGS. 1 and 2 schematically depict aspects of a conventional hybrid ESS and the prior art thermal conditioning arrangement therefor.
Within the passenger cabin 10 of the hybrid motor vehicle is disposed the ESS 12, which may, for example, rest on the vehicle floor 14 above the fore-aft floor “tunnel” 16. The ESS 12 is thermally conditioned by the movement of cabin air 50 via an ESS blower 18, whereby the cabin air is circulated through the ESS, originating at at least one permanently open entry vent 20 and exiting at at least one permanently open exit vent 22, both vents being permanently open in the sense of being in permanently and completely open fluidic communication with the passenger cabin. The prior art has sometimes placed the entry vent near the output of the HVAC ducting, whereby cabin air 50 and HVAC air 52 can comingle before unselectively entering the entry vent. Operation of the ESS blower 18 is controlled by a hybrid vehicle integration control module (VICM) 24, utilizing temperature data from (among others) an inlet duct sensor 58, an outlet duct sensor 60, and an ESS temperature sensor 62. The VICM 24 is connected to inputs and outputs by various data lines (see for example dashed lines in FIG. 2). These components 54 are subject to an on-board diagnostics (OBD) requirement, whereby a signal is provided to the driver if a fault is detected in any of the components.
The passenger cabin includes a heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) module 28, which typically includes passenger input instruments 30 and an HVAC controller 32 which operates the HVAC module in response to the passenger input. Typically, the HVAC module includes an HVAC blower 34, an evaporator 36 for cooling the HVAC air to the cabin and a heater core 38 for heating the HVAC air to the cabin via HVAC ducting 40. These components 56 are not subject to an OBD requirement.
Utilizing the cabin environment in the prior art to provide air for thermal conditioning of the ESS is effective only when the cabin air is not too hot nor too cold. For example, after a soak in hot sun or frigid cold, the ESS will be similarly either hot or cold, and the cabin air used to thermally condition the ESS will also be likewise hot or cold. This has problematic implications for the electrical charge/discharge performance of the ESS, which is temperature dependent. There is an optimal ESS performance temperature range, and the cabin air temperature extremes can easily be outside (both above and below) this range.
This problem of administering ESS thermal conditioning in the prior art is not “solved” by merely placing the entry vent someplace near the outlet of the HVAC ducting, as the commingling of cabin air with HVAC air is haphazard, unselectable and takes too much time.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/771,063, filed on Apr. 30, 2010 entitled “Air-Based Hybrid Battery Thermal Conditioning System”, the entirety of the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference, describes an ESS thermal conditioning system which selectively utilizes air from at least one auxiliary air source (other than the at least one permanently open entry vent of the prior art), as for example one or more passenger cabin areas, the trunk, an exterior vent, and, most preferably, the HVAC ducting. In this regard, with respect to FIGS. 3 and 4, the ESS 102 and the HVAC module 104 are generally as described with respect to FIGS. 1 and 2, except now an HVAC ESS duct 106 is provided which communicates with the HVAC ducting 108 so that HVAC air 152 can be made selectively available to the ESS blower 118 and be mixed with the cabin air 150, which is always available. The ESS thermal conditioning system performs the function of keeping the ESS temperature within the optimal ESS performance temperature range, or bringing the ESS temperature into this range as quickly as possible.
As mentioned, the passenger cabin includes a heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) module 104, which typically includes passenger input instruments 130 and an HVAC controller 132 which operates the HVAC module in response to the passenger input. Typically, the HVAC module includes an HVAC blower 134, an evaporator 136 for cooling the HVAC air to the cabin and a heater core 138 for heating the HVAC air to the cabin via the HVAC ducting 108. These components 162 are not subject to an OBD requirement, being not controlled or influenced by the hybrid vehicle integration control module (VICM) 124.
Within the passenger cabin 112 of the hybrid motor vehicle is disposed the ESS 102, which may, for example, rest on the vehicle floor 114 above the fore-aft floor “tunnel” 116. The ESS 102 is thermally conditioned, at least in part, by the movement of cabin air via an ESS blower 118, whereby the cabin air is circulated through the ESS, originating at at least one permanently open entry vent 120 and exiting at at least one permanently open exit vent 122, both vents being permanently open in the sense of being in permanently and completely open fluidic communication with the passenger cabin. Operation of the ESS blower 118 is controlled by the VICM 124, utilizing temperature data from (among others) an inlet duct temperature sensor 154, an outlet duct temperature sensor 156, and an ESS temperature sensor 158. The VICM 124 is connected to inputs and outputs by various data lines (see for example dashed lines in FIG. 3).
The HVAC ESS duct 106 intersects the HVAC ducting 108 of the HVAC module 104 such that the HVAC air may bleed from the HVAC ducting into the HVAC ESS duct. An actuator door, or “bleed” door, 144 is fitted to the HVAC ESS duct 106, and is electrically operated selectively to position anywhere between a closed position to an open position responsive to the VICM 124. The VICM 124 operates the bleed door 144 based upon its programming and data from temperature upstream and downstream sensors 146, 148 disposed on either side of the bleed door, and may for example, utilize other temperature sensors.
The VICM 124, its associated data lines, the system sensors, including inlet and outlet duct temperature sensors 154, 156, and upstream and downstream temperature sensors 146, 148, and any actuator door position sensor (which can be incorporated into the actuator), all constitute an electronic control system 142.
These non-HVAC module components 160 are subject to an on-board diagnostics (OBD) requirement, whereby a signal is provided to the driver if a fault is detected in any of the components.
By way of example, the bleed door 144 may be a panel having an area which matches the cross-sectional area of the HVAC ESS duct 106, and is nonotatably mounted to an axle which is, itself, rotatably mounted to the HVAC ESS duct. The axle is rotated by an actuator which is electrically connected to the VICM 124.
In operation of the air-based hybrid battery thermal conditioning system as described in aforesaid Ser. No. 12/771,063, if the motor vehicle has experienced a cold soak, for example sitting outside on a very cold night, then the driver would be expected to select a heating mode for the HVAC module 128. The VICM 124 would sense the temperature rise of the HVAC air in the HVAC ducting via the temperature sensor 146 and thereupon open the bleed door 144 to allow the ESS blower to duct-in (bleed) a selected portion of the HVAC air 152 from the HVAC ducting to blend or mix with the cabin air 150, wherein the proportion of the HVAC air to cabin air is selected by the VICM and is effected by the selected position of the bleed door (i.e., being positioned more or less open). On the other hand, if the motor vehicle has experienced a hot soak, for example sitting outside on a hot, sunny day, then the driver would be expected to select a cooling mode for the HVAC module. Now, the VICM would sense the temperature decline in the HVAC air via the temperature sensor 146, and thereupon open the bleed door to allow the ESS blower to duct-in (bleed) a selected a portion of the HVAC conditioned air from the HVAC ducting to blend or mix with the cabin air 150, wherein, as mentioned above, the proportion of the HVAC air to cabin air is selected by the VICM and is effected by the selected position of the bleed door (i.e., being positioned more or less open).
What remains needed in the art is a housing for an air-based hybrid battery thermal conditioning system which has an inlet for cabin air, an inlet for HVAC air and an outlet to the blower, wherein the housing prevents the HVAC air entering at the HVAC air inlet from partly backflowing out the cabin air inlet so that all the HVAC air exits the dual inlet housing at the air outlet.